Enhancing of the tribological characteristics of the lubricant oils using Ni-promoted MoS2 nanosheets as nano-additives

In this study, the tribological behaviour of Ni-promoted MoS2 (Ni-MoS2) nanosheets were investigated using a four ball wear tester according to ASTM D4172 standard. The Ni-MoS2 nanosheets were chemically exfoliated in two steps, namely ultrasonication and simple reflux techniques. The physicochemical characteristics confirm that the obtained Ni-MoS2 nanosheet was well exfoliated and have excellent dispersibility. Base oil containing 0.5 wt% Ni-MoS2 nanosheets significantly enhances the antiwear property (40-50%) and slightly reduces the friction coefficient (15-20%) between the tribo-interfaces, due to its small size and surface modifying behaviour compared to base oil. Thus, the work augments the potential applications of Ni-MoS2 nano-additives in automotive industries.